Had to pick between a combi oven and a deck oven for my new place in Nashville

When I was setting up my sandwich shop in Nashville last year, I had to choose between a combi oven and a traditional deck oven. I went with the combi oven after talking to three different kitchen designers. Two of them swore by the combi for baking bread and roasting meats in the same unit. The third guy said deck ovens give you better crust on artisan loaves. I ended up buying the combi from a local rep for about $8,000, and six months in I'm happy with it for sandwiches and pastries. But I still wonder if I'm missing out on that perfect crust for ciabatta rolls. Has anyone else made this switch and regretted it?

2 comments

2 Comments

tyler49214d ago

Man eight grand for a combi oven? That's wild lol. I didn't even know they cost that much for a sandwich shop setup.

keith26414d ago

Man I was right there with you until I actually ran one of those things in a busy shop. Thought it was just a fancy toaster at first but it changed my whole view on prep work. Your mileage may vary of course but once I saw how it could proof dough and roast veggies at the same time I got it. Eight grand still stings but if you're doing high volume it pays for itself quicker than youd think. Not saying it's for everyone but it definitely opened my eyes.